Boxed Up

From the Stone Tarot, the Four of Pentacles; from the Buddhist Quote Cards, Dhammapada 1:5:

          In her poem for the Four of Pentacles, Stone writes about someone who represses every part of her life in an attempt to control food issues. People with addiction problems or those who've faced monstrous trauma or challenges can imprison themselves by trying to control everything in order to feel secure. Unfortunately, what develops isn't safety but rigid thinking, restrictive routines, and a disconnect from relationships. Yet the quote from the Dhammapada gives a suggestion for beginning to heal: "Hatred never ceases through hatred. By non-hate alone does it end." People who hate themselves may be completely self-centered, but they have no self-compassion. Self-loathing keeps us constricted, yet gradually developing an attitude of unconditional friendliness toward ourselves can help us find a way out of our box.